Finally, please report ANY interaction with law enforcement — good or bad — by filling out a Law Enforcement Feedback Form at Ranger HQ so that we can use this (anonymous) information for our daily meetings with law enforcement heads.

Burniing man 2012 I was pulled over. Unknown to me, the plug to my little tear drop trailer disengaged while going over the bumpy roads. lights were flashing but, of course, I didn’t know it was about me, cause I was at BM and geeeeze, lots of lights flash! The officer said, Didn’t you seem my lights flashing,” sorry, no’ after asking for registration, etc and me complying he asked if I had any drugs. I said “No” and he then said, “Do you want me bring the dogs?” I said, “sure” and as quickly as he appeared, he disappeared. I hate to call one of our men in uniform, derogatory term but he fits the bill. I have been a pre school teacher for the 20 years and he was probably one of the toddlers I had to constantly put in time out cause he just didn’t get it!!!!

While operating Boo Boo Kitty in 2012 I was pulled over by a LEO, lights and siren. I was freaked out as I hadn’t done anything wrong and wasn’t sure why I was being pulled over. Turns out he wanted to take a picture with the art car. He then surprised us with a plate of home baked cookies his wife made. I have to say that’s been my best pull over in my entire life!

Really hope there are more of those kind of awesome LEOs out on the playa this year!

Burning Man: We have numerous reports of law enforcement running amok. Pershing County has gotten greedy and it’s TIME TO FIND ANOTHER PLACE. Do you want 68,000 people RIOTING? Obviously, the game has changed. This is a massive sting operation and cops are detaining people on the slightest pretext.

A friend writes: “In light of the stories of law enforcement running on-going undercover sting operations at Burning Man, it’s with apprehension that I prepare to make my way to Black Rock city tomorrow morning.

What saddens me is that this will clearly impact people’s sense of trust and community, as they will be watching their back at all times, always half expecting that this new awesome friendly person they just met might just be an undercover agent.

Be careful out there, people. So far, it seems that an undercover agent will generally go for a quick kill. If you don’t give them any tender morsel, they will move on to the next easier target. They can look like the cute gal or cute couple who wants drugs (or may even be offering) or alcohol. Of course, none of you does drugs, so you have nothing to be worried about, but the climate such law enforcement activities will create will be felt by all.

And there’s no way to tell if there isn’t agents with deeper covers and slower missions. Some of them might have even been burners for years — or perhaps just starting their cover now, or last year, or the year before. So beware of new friends who are total newbies or just moved to the west coast with no prior community history.”

yep, kinda glad I’m not there this year. It’s reached a critical mass: 68,000 people with disposable income have them chomping at the bit. It’s pure economics.

I think other locations in other states or countries ought to be explored. Take the yearly stimulus to Reno and Pershing County away.

If people can organize, this could galvanize a determined end to the insanity of the drug war and its Gestapo tactics. If people can organize. Which seems far fetched, yes, but a week or two of this bullshit?

I agree, was there in 2011. A friend and I were approached by a overfriendly guy with a bowl haircut, clearly thinking two long haired ponytail dudes likes us were drug fiends out of Easy Rider or something. He came up with shiny eyes and asked: “Hey guys, do you have a bowl. I got some really good pot?” Full of innuendo and sickening friendliness, something out of a movie.

We answered that we don’t do drugs and went on to stand in line to see this art installation and sure enough the guy was behind us listening to our conversation. Disgusting to try this sort of entrapment in a place where people just want to have fun and not harm anyone else in their community.

I agree with the other comments that the only way to punish these counties is to move the event elsewhere. The police is driving around with night vision and infra red to see who is smoking, this is even more ridiculous now next to California where it’s all legal.

I’ll be coming back when the event is elsewhere, the spirit is great, the people super cool, but that vibe of suspicion undermines it.

I have been following Burning Man from afar for many years with much intrigue, envy and interest in the community. My first knowledge of this fascinating world was introduced to me during a documentary of sorts in the early 90’s. It showcased the art cars, installations and people dressed up in costumes and being who they wanted, what they wanted, when they wanted in a peaceful loving environment without judgement. What a perfect a world!
In the last few years I have been watching and engaging in chat rooms and noticed many of the same complaints and irritations with the state laws and enforcement. With a society as diverse as Black Rock City the event should be held in a much more open and accepting atmosphere, state or PROVINCE!
We would be more than happy to have you up here in Canada!
Hopefully everyone has a good burn and the anxiety of the paranoid police state is over turned with love as a conviction.
I look forward to the day I enter Black Rock City and the Burning Man experience.
Peace
xo

I have been told, by someone who has worked this event for years, that though Pershing County and Washoe County (Reno) seem to be getting all the flack for the heavy presence of law enforcement the real bad guys in this are the Feds (BLM). They have a new leader out of Washington who is hell bent on making this a stepping stone for his future advancement.

This was a planned Crack Down. LE spent two weeks at the BLM HQ in Reno planning and coordinating the Crack Down with other LE organizations before Burning Man. If they deny it, remind them that the videos of what was said in the Great Basin conference room could be on YouTube.

WHY?

Since Obama has taken office, the number of Law Enforcement in the US has doubled. Source- U.S. Census.
Obama has extended and expanded the Patriot Act, created the NDAA which allows for indefinite detention without trial of YOU, and has turned the NSA loose to record all of your private calls and emails. If you don’t understand what a Police State is, you deserve to loose your Civil Rights.

VOTE CONSERVATIVE for the next two elections to clean the unAmerican freedom hating Liberals out of the Democrat party.

I am a Police Officer….I have been a burner for many years even before I became one….all I can say guys is just be careful and obey the laws. No one likes to get pulled over trust me, but if your respectful and courteous as WE ALL BURNERS should be you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. With much love…sincerely Catfucker

Guys I am a Police Officer myself…and have been a burner for many years before I was even an officer. I can tell you personally that BM is not a drug free zone lol…either way just remember that WE BURNERS are different. BM is no damn festival and it will NEVER be…we don’t leave trash behind, and we are ALL kind loving people. We must show this to law enforcement out there. Burning Man is different, and it should be treated as such. The one thing that I truly love about BM is that no one judges you for who you are! That should not apply only to Burners, it should include ALL first responders at BM. These are the same men and women who help Burners who have medical problems, those involved in car accidents, and the same men and women who help find children that get lost EVERY year at Burning Man. SHOW SOME LOVE PEOPLE THATS WHAT WE ARE KNOWN FOR! Just follow the law…and brush off the bull shit anyone tries to put on us….with much love, sincerely CATFUCKER

Guess its gotta be like this with a gathering of 70,000 people that all believe that they are entitled to to be there. To build a fake city and make your own rules for a week and think that you are untouchable to laws already set in place is pretty funny to me. By attending burningman you purposely impose more laws to yourself with the rules of burning man and the laws already set in place by Nevada. Guess you all love to be governed and told what to do. Funny but Nevada is not even that harsh when confronted one on one but burning man makes it so easy for them when they think they can over power in numbers. The only power in numbers here are the statistics that you give them in tickets and busts that adds to their revenue. So have fun I’m sure a lot of parents and grandparents will be footing the bill for your entitlement.

I love Blackrock City, but something has to change before I will return. If I wanted to be hassled by cops, I could do that anywhere. The culture of BM is at risk. I don’t see how “radical self expression” can flourish with hordes of Police Officers watching every move and looking for bullshit reasons to write more citations.

MOVE Burning Man out of Pershing county. While you are at it… move it out of Nevada. There is plenty of BLM land in California along with small towns and counties that would open their arms to the revenue BM brings.

And really… please… make all of our lives easier and just make it a 21 and older event. Card everyone at the gate. No longer will Law enforcement get to hide behind “defending the children” as an excuse for the organized entrapment of theme camps who have alcohol.

And for the record, my statements are NOT anti-police. My father was LAPD for 35 years. I know there is a lot of good the LEO’s are providing, but they have crossed the line from “protect and serve” into “Hassle and Cite”

Law enforcement has destroyed Burning Man for me. 14 years of dedicated participation and burning – DONE.
Burning Man is sucking the law enforcement dick, and I’m not interested in joining in. Goodbye, “home”. I will have to find another.

I just visited this forum when an American friend forwarded me the link. It looks really cool but the stories about the police are really really scary because it says a lot about what US society has become.

I recently went to a festival in the UK, http://www.wildernessfestival.com/ . There was a family camping section, activities for kids, alcohol all over the place, and other stuff if you ask friends with friends. No one cared about kids seeing adults drinking or being in places where alcohol is sold. I don’t remember seeing any police, though there might have been one or two, certainly none on the roads in and out. Security was more worried about people bringing in glass bottles than anything else. There was an upscale section with boutique tents and even the head of the Bank of England, equivalent to the Chairman of the Fed, turned up. Quite a bit different to the US, no one felt they had to watch their backs in case of spies and sleeper agents.

I thought the UK was turning into a police state, but reading about the police activities at the Burning Man made me realise we’ve a long way to go and you’re well ahead of us.

Was there 2013, first year I saw the presence but had no issue. But the most disturbing thing I saw was after The Burn. There was a circle of LE just outside of the art cars. They we not there befor the burn. It was intimidating and I was sober with nothing to hide. This event will continue to happen in BLC because now LE is part of the feeding frenzy. I would be smart to explore other options. Final statement, there were more LE at BM than at a pro football game, where they’re tons of fight and half the people are drunk when they drive away.

Law enforcement is 2013’s big story. Wow, that a disaster this year was.

The pigs take advantage of the fact that Burners are peaceful, unarmed, and (unfortunately) often ignorant of their rights. I saw people slammed face down on the hoods of cop cars for absolutely no reason. Not causing a problem, not using or carrying anything illegal, not even interacting with anyone. Just randomly stopped, searched, and harassed.

What’s even worse than the actual abuses that took place, as numerous as they were?

The fact that the experience of Burning has had to change. No longer is it organic, filling a need in society, allowing participants to engage in the community in the way that works for them. No longer can a Burner truly be themselves, because each person you run into (and that means hundreds or thousands of people) could be someone watching your every move for something they can arrest you for. We must now ask for 2 pieces of govt ID to anyone entering our camps? We can no longer share food/drink without a permit? That friendly person you’re chatting with could be trying to jail you? Gone are the days when Burners can be free. Hello, unwelcome heavy boot of the law enforcement officer.

We now attend the event more to remember and relive past Burns, rather than to enjoy the current one. I’ll return when (if?) this changes. I know there are tens of thousands of longtime Burners like myself with the same mindset. The demographic has changed, due to Burning Man’s eager acceptance of the police state, and I don’t think it’s for the better.

I’m not trying to hurt anyone’s feelings with this post. I wrote it because I care – deeply. :(

Law enforcement is 2013′s big story. Wow, what a disaster this year was.

The pigs took advantage of the fact that Burners are peaceful, unarmed, and (unfortunately) often ignorant of their rights. I saw people slammed face down on the hoods of cop cars for absolutely no reason. Not causing a problem, not using or carrying anything illegal, not even interacting with anyone. Just randomly stopped, searched, and harassed.

What’s even worse than the actual abuses that took place, as numerous as they were?

The fact that the experience of Burning has had to change. No longer is it organic, filling a need in society, allowing participants to engage in the community in the way that works for them. No longer can a Burner truly be themselves, because each person you run into (and that means hundreds or thousands of people) could be someone watching your every move for something they can arrest you for. We must now ask for 2 pieces of govt ID to anyone entering our camps? We can no longer share food/drink without a permit? That friendly person you’re chatting with could be trying to jail you? Gone are the days when Burners can be free. Hello, unwelcome heavy boot of the law enforcement officer.

We now attend the event more to remember and relive past Burns, rather than to enjoy the current one. I’ll return when (if?) this changes. I know there are tens of thousands of longtime Burners like myself with the same mindset. The demographic has changed, due to Burning Man’s eager acceptance of the police state, and I don’t think it’s for the better.

I’m not trying to hurt anyone’s feelings with this post. I wrote it because I care – deeply. :(

The first time we went to the desert it was because there was nobody there to tell us what to do. The thing we now call Burning Man is not that. Eventually none of the regionals will be that either. Grasp the lesson we all claim to learn – to make the real thing anew, we need to keep burning it all down.

BRC reached its peak 8 years ago. It is all now about harvest. No longer cool. It has become Disney, but with crappy infrastructure. Only one camp now, Camp Issues. Just one year, 2014. Give it a rest.

Burners beware. There once was something called the Rainbow Gathering. What happened to it is what is happening now to BM with law enforcement oppression and constant harrassment. It will only get worse with each successive year. You will find attendance dwindling. RG once attracted 30,000 people. In 2013 it had slightly more than 9,000. There are many differences between the two events, but one thing they now have in common is a strategically coordinated law enforcement assault that seeks to generate as many citations, fines and mandatory court appearances as is possible. Sound like a new, free society? Don’t say you weren’t warned.

The last year I was in Burning Man was in 2003. A plane crashed outside the fence and I hopped it with my bike and rode as quickly as I could to see if I could help. I was met by a Bureau of Land Management Ranger. He began speaking to me as if he were an inner city Black. Being a Black man I was offended that he spoke to me in this manner. I reported this to the BLM and the investigator did nothing but cover it up. I was told they could not find the Ranger even though I knew the location and time. This experience was degrading and deterred me from returning to a place I love.

This year I returned and noticed vehicles marked k-9 as I entered and saw dogs by vehicles belonging to the entering burners. I wish the lawyers for Burning Man could stop this. We all know the probable cause is just entering Burning Man.

Finally, the number of BLM Rangers on the playa seems way to high. They are everywhere! Their high numbers is not needed for low number of arrest (under 10) that take place every year!!!

So my wife and I are 7 year burners and had the unfortunate “stop” by the BLM on gate road because my bikes were blocking the view of my license plate. Immediately I was told that the officer was part of the “drug enforcment task team” and that he was going to run the dog around my car, and if the dog “alerted” that my vehicle would become theirs to search. I was also told that if I gave up any illegal drugs I would be let go with a $100 ticket. Can anyone chyme in? Is that illegal search of my vehicle?? Your license plate can’t be seen=I’m going to run my drug sniffing dog around your vehicle. Doesn’t sound right to me. And what was with the 150 so BLM ranger trucks marching out to the man in single file the evening (around 6 or so) and assembling?? DID ANYONE ELSE SEE THAT? Ridiculous.

Just entering Burning Man has become “probable cause”. This is just wrong. If law enforcements goal is to put BM out of business, it’s working. Over police anything and it’s just a matter of time until it ends…

Wow, All this negativity. I’ve been going to BM for several years and have never been hassled by any LEOs. I feel like I’ve been cheated!! Maybe its because I’m not paranoid of getting caught with drugs or any other kind of contraband. They can search my car to their hearts content. I have nothing to hide. I drove 5 mph and didnt risk getting a ticket
I will say the girl at the gate this year was a bit nasty. To the the point of being a little bitch.
I think she needed some time off. That was pre-event. I’d hate to see what she was like during the main event.

Dogknee: “If you haven’t done anything illegal, you have nothing to hide!”

Heard of privacy? Heard of rights? Bend over, we’re going to have a look for illegal plant matter in your bumhole. Some people hide it in there, you know! If you’ve done nothing illegal, then you’ve got nothing to hide. Pants down, face on the hood of the car please. Baaaaaaaaa, baaaaaaaaaaaa! Good little sheep.

How do I report an interaction that I had post-exodus on Tuesday as I was leaving the burn. I was treated to some extremely disrespectful and offensive language during and after my full polite cooperation with law enforcement on my way out.

BRC is the safest city in Nevada with more cops per capita than any other city in Nevada…The Pershing County Sheriff delayed calling for outside law enforcement assistance when searching for two adults and several children missing in sub-zero temperatures this last week, but will plan in advance to use the same assistance to protect us for our special week each summer. Don’t you feel the love?

I am surprised that everyone is talking about the law enforcement at BRC? I see the same thing happening all over the globe! I am from Holland and it’s no different here or the rest of Europe. Everyone who “they” don’t like is a suspect. Police states rise everywhere around us. The world is slowly changing and the next couple generations are gonna have to fight for there freedom and the choice between fear and love.

The most important thing to remember in living is that winning is all that matters and very often winning is simply a matter of shocking the opponent into stunned silence. The key is to never respond in the way they are conditioned to expect. Let me give you an example.

One time I was in the chat room of a internet radio show and the subject was ritual abuse. Someone took issue with my Uncle Chuckie name and said that there was something “creepy” about a person named Uncle Chuckie listening to the show. Well, I am certain that he expected an angry retort or some sort of self-justification and denial. What he was not expecting was my answering, “Oh, I am a lot creepier than my name.” He shut up and stayed shut up.

I wish that I could have done it in voice. “You think this is evil? You do not know what evil is. Let me show you.” said in a quiet, calm, monotone.

But the trick is to take their assumptions and drop those assumptions on their heads. So let us say you find yourself in a dialogue with a liberal and they play the racism line. You do not, do not, do not, deny that x is racist. You do not try to prove that you are not a racist. You calmly say, “Is there a reason why I would care about that?” And you use that method with any other control strategy. You simply make it clear that you do not care about such things. If, instead of guilt, they get the back of your hand, they will back off because they have no response.

As BRC LLC is subsidizing the LEO presence at the Playa, I wonder if they might have some degree of influence and / or give direction to Burners regarding obscuring plates with bike racks. It seems likely that a significant percentage of entering vehicles will have racks that could potentially be in violation of this regulation. Any chance on a clarification from the officers who will be patrolling the gate?

Since when, in ANY CITY in America is a bicycle partially obstructing a tag cause to pull someone over and run a “conditioned to respond” drug dog around their car??

Well maybe some inner city hell hole but not the Norm! The problem is 1) the event is on federal lands bringing in a whole other level of Unaccountable LE. and 2) frankly the promoters will not stand up for the rights and freedoms they use to attract folks to the event. . .

move it to western Colorado on private lands, stay away from the evil BLM. I understand its not the “playa” but people can fall in love with a different word in time . . .

Burner Express word of warning. Last year (2013) I was on one of fist Burner Express shuttles into BRC on Monday and happened to camp near the drop off spot. By late Monday, drug dogs were searching virtually every bus that arrived. Passengers were ordered to disembark and place all of their belongings on the playa. Dogs then had at it. When they got a hit, officers asked whose bag it was and then did a manual and very very thorough search. (Opening seams and disassembling electronics.) Many people got nailed. Some never claimed their bags and just walked away. The Burner Express is such a great concept and really is the fastest way home. But unfortunately it was like herding lambs to the slaughter. How this type of search is constitutional is a mystery to me. Best of Luck.

Seems like the main laws are no PUBLIC drug use or sex – for me personally quite doable. For some this is not the case and they push it, passing joints, giving and taking substances from people they don’t really know, etc.
Yeah – the police did very regretfully hassle people unnecessarily when they were coming in (covered license plates, really?!) – but I guess they need to prove they are doing something to someone. While I have seen some instances of nasty police behavior (um, and participator behavior!) in my 9 years, considering the level of bacchanal all around, I am here to say that it is (still) the most amazingly open, sharing, creative, playful collection of 70,000 people on the planet.

Beware the pigs have dogs sniffing your car on the way in. Wrap your burnables in coffee lined rolled foil then put in a plastic ziplock bag. Do not stand on the hood of your car and down beer while waiting in line . Snorting something off the hood of your car only attracts the pigs dog. Always wear sunglasses when driving to cover red waisted eyes.

Aliens came and got me when I was sleeping on the 3rd day this year. I was lifted off the ground and hovering above our camp site. I remember seeing the site from a great height. they were gray and I remember three of them looking at me . I woke up in the dirt the next morning far from our site.